Effect of Clear Bands on Intergranular Stresses and IASCC Early Damage

Slip localization is a common feature in post-irradiated metallic poly-crystals undergoing tensile straining. This effect takes place for instance in the form of thin slip bands called channels or clear bands, formed after the local vanishing of irradiation defects induced interactions with gliding dislocations [1-3]. Channel impingement towards grain boundaries (GBs) should induce local stress concentrations along GBs, in the quasi-elastic surrounding matrix. It has been shown extensively that this trigger GB crack initiation [2-3].